Wrestler of the Year: Thunder Ridge’s Shauna Anderson finishes her career with a third state championship

IDAHO FALLS – Shauna Anderson reached the state championship finals in her first year of competitive wrestling.

At the time, the Thunder Ridge freshman may have been as surprised as anyone at her rise to the top.

“That first year she shocked everybody,” Titans coach Jody Webb said.

There were no surprises or sense of shock last week as Anderson, now a senior, celebrated her third-straight state title in convincing fashion with a first-round pin in the 190-pound final to finish 35-1 on the season.

Anderson’s freshman finish may have actually been a precursor to what turned out to be a dominant high school career that put her in elite status.

“She is super competitive and picked it up fast,” Webb said. “She put time in and she worked hard in our room.”

Anderson has been fielding college offers and will compete for a national title at Fargo this summer. Now that the high school season is officially over, she plans to set up college visits.

Wrestling for state and national championships and eventually competing in college was not a future the freshman Anderson would have envisioned.

“That journey has been really amazing and really cool for me to be able to know all my hard work has paid off,” she said last week after winning her third championship match.

As Anderson prepares to move on to the collegiate level, she has helped forge a path for area wrestlers to shine since the girls tournament was officially sanctioned in 2022.

This year, six girls from eastern Idaho won state titles, the most ever in the sport’s five seasons.

Four of the six — Mya Bolander of Idaho Falls (110), Kinzie Williams of American Falls (115), Gracie Price of Thunder Ridge (120), and Keanna Conrad of Blackfoot (135) – will be back next season.

The Broncos’ Conrad also won her third state title this year and looks to become a four-timer next season.

Samantha Harper of Bear Lake joined Anderson as the area’s senior champions.

Seniors Tayler Brown of Thunder Ridge (100), and Molly Olague of Skyline (170) also reached their respective championship matches.

“It’s really fun to watch girls wrestling grow,” Webb said.